Okay, here’s what you need to know:
- WRIF 101 was a Detroit radio station with one of those corny “Zoo Crew” style morning shows co-hosted by a DJ named George Baier and Jim Johnson.
- Baier’s radio name was Richard T. Bruiser, or Dick the Bruiser
- There was also a big-time wrestler named Dick the Bruiser, who appears in all his Udo Dirkschneider glory on the album cover above, but didn’t really have anything to do with WRIF.
- Meat the Bruiser Band is a collection of cruddy song parodies by the aforementioned morning DJs.
- This hunk of junk will set you back $10-$20.
- It’s on its way to the “Bad Album Cover Hall of Fame.”
And now you can take all that time you saved reading an essay on Meat the Bruiser Band and go make the world a better place. You’re welcome.
Why It Matters 
Responses to “From the Stacks: Meat the Bruiser Band”
I remember when this played on WRIF…the home of rock n roll …baby! (Arthur Penthallow’s tag line)
Dick the Bruiser was a Motor City Wrestling star, along with Leapin Larry Shane, and The Sheik. His voice was part of dialog on the Morning Show (1980’s) . Other voices were Popeye and George Swell (George Kell, Detroit Tigers Hall of Fame 3rd baseman and TV announcer with Ernie Harwell, later Al Kaline) I remember it was during the 1981 MLB strike since one of the songs they did was a parody of Clarence Carter’s Strokin only they used “Strikin” (George Swell). 96 beers (Bruiser singing) was parody of 96 Tears (? and the Mysterians) , Lunchbox Hero (Bruiser) = Jukebox Hero (Foreigner), Every Swing You Take, again baseball with George Swell (Police), Drinking Thunderbirds = Makin Thunderbirds (Bob Seger), Bars = Cars (Gary Numan), Cum and Get Your Toys =? Come and Get Your Love (Redbone) , Fat Cat Strut = Stray Cat Strut, All Along the Turnbuckle (Bruiser, Pro Wrestling) = All Along the Watchtower (Hendrix) …”there must be some way outta here…said the Bruiser to the Sheik…Bruiser explained that he smoked some funny cigarettes that the Sheik gave him before writing that song.
LikeLike
The guy in the poster on the back wall background wearing the red red wrestling shorts IS Dock the Bruiser—the same guy in the foreground. I unashamedly had a copy of that poster from a WRIF—Detroit swag giveaway. Funny stuff in those days!! and STILL is.
LikeLike
The Bruiser Band was on Kelly & Company prior to 1980 (I believe). I was in the audience and would love to see a tape of the show if anyone knows of one.
LikeLike
Oh, make no mistake: All morning drive time FM radio DJ bits were cruddy, but I absolutely loved the ones from my local area and would undoubtedly laugh at them if I could dig up copies. No disrespect meant to the fine folks at WRIF or any other station. I’m pretty sure those guys know they were doing corny bits, and we loved them for it. Except for “Disco Duck.” Gotta draw the line somewhere.
LikeLike
I can kinda see why you would say they were cruddy parodies, but for the time and place they were great. Sometimes one comes up on random shuffle on my mp3 player and I still laugh. But I guess if you didn’t listen to WRIF growing up you wouldn’t “get” them. BTW, I think the guy on the poster is the same guy on the cover, the wrestler “Dick the Bruiser”.
LikeLike
So it seems that the manufacturers of this masterpiece missed out on featuring the most interesting part of their set dressing….
LikeLike
You have a keen eye for creepy detail.
LikeLike
Definitely deserves to be in the BACHoF. And I think I agree with Annie…that guy in the poster…yikes.
LikeLike
My favorite part might be the guy in the poster on the back wall.
LikeLike